Calculus Curriculum advice needed

[Guest Anita in PA]

What would you use for calculus if you had never taken it yourself? I'm thinking of Saxon, although we didn't like it in the lower levels, and switched to Jacobs and Lial for algebra I and II, geometry and pre-calculus. However, I remember Saxon as being very step-by-step and well-explained. And there is a solutions manual. Anyone out there who's used it or seen it and can advise? I'm wary of getting into deep water with something that assumes that a knowledgeable teacher will fill any gaps. Thanks for your help! Anita

[Jann in TX]

I do not recommend Saxon for Calculus--unless the student has used Saxon for the previous levels...and then I still have some reservations...

 

Saxon's Calculus is 'old school'. While I appreciate a text that teaches the students to manually work out their problems--the advent of the graphing calculator has abreviated this course to the point that the whole scope and sequence is being changed--in other words different types of problems are being worked out in the more 'modern' texts.

 

Homeschooling Calculus can be a tricky thing if the student does not have access to a 'math person'.

 

When deciding which program to use it may be helpful to look at what your local community college uses--or better yet--what potential future college/university your student is interrested in uses.

 

Most current college textbooks have video support. I consider a Calculus text to be a college textbook.

 

Some popular homeschooling programs offer Calculus (Chalkdust's is VERY good but also VERY expensive).

 

Hopefully another math person will jump in and suggest a great program for you.

[Ms. Riding Hood]

Ds has used Saxon for all (except Jacobs for geometry) and is now using Thinkwell for Calculus. He is really enjoying Dr. Burger. For quite a while now he has loved Jay Wile and Apologia science but actually said he might like this course even better. Now, if you are not an Apologia fan this might turn you off, but I just wanted to express how *much* ds likes it. I bought mine new with an access code off eBay very reasonably.

[Cynde]

I've never taken calculus. For us, a program with a video component has been a must for our high school math. Our ds is using Chalkdust calculus this year. Although he finds it challenging, it's working well for him. We really like the Larson texts and love the Chalkdust video lessons. The text for this course is a college level text. Mr. Mosely has been great about helping ds via email when he has difficulty working a problem. The only other option we condsidered for calculus was the community college. Since we've used Chalkdust throughout high school and loved it, we didn't look at any other math programs for at home.

[Myrtle]

What would you use for calculus if you had never taken it yourself?

 

 

I'd make use of my local community college to teach it to my child.

I really would.

 

 

I would just be too worried that whatever program I chose is a "box check" that we did calculus on transcript rather than really doing a good job teaching it according to objective standards.

[periwinkle]

I do agree that a community college course might be best, but that didn't work for us this year because of driving issues.

 

Ds is working his way through the course and getting *something* out of it. One of the issues is his reluctance to contact Dr. Callahan with problems. I took Calculus way back when, but I remember virtually nothing. We had hoped he would be able to take the Calculus AB AP test, but after looking through prep books have decided it is not feasible. He will have to take Calculus I, II and III for his major, so he will start at level I again next fall at college in the sequence. I am considering this year an introduction.

 

Also, for fun, we are watching Dr. Starbird's Calculus Made Clear (Teaching Company) videos when we can get them from the library.

[MaryM]

Thinkwell has worked wonderfully for my ds. There are a few instances where the exercises/problems introduce material before the lecture but only a few in Calculus. Other programs are much more burdened with this problem. You can't beat Dr. Burger for clarity and for guiding understanding beautifully AND his sense of humor too. He has organized the course with the right amount of "relief" for the student too. I never took Caclulus and am learning right alone with ds! Highly recommended.

 

Mary

[Sharon in MD]

Thinkwell has worked wonderfully for my ds. There are a few instances where the exercises/problems introduce material before the lecture but only a few in Calculus. Other programs are much more burdened with this problem. You can't beat Dr. Burger for clarity and for guiding understanding beautifully AND his sense of humor too. He has organized the course with the right amount of "relief" for the student too. I never took Caclulus and am learning right alone with ds! Highly recommended.

 

Mary

 

That there isn't any teacher support for the student if they run into trouble in an area. I'd be worried about that aspect if I were to use it for Calculus. We are thinking about CC, but there I'm worried about the faster pace of the course and the time it takes out of the week to go back and forth to the CC.

 

I'm not at all sure what we will do.

 

My biggest fear is that if he takes it at the CC and doesn't do well in it, we will blow his highschool transcript. I'm afraid it could hurt him in applying for admissions and scholarships....any thoughts on this side of the issue?

 

:eek:

[Brenda in MA]

Sharon,

 

I hear you when you raise concern about a possible bad experience with Calculus at the cc ruining your son's transcript. This is exactly the concern we've had here.

 

Ds will most likely continue with Chalkdust Calculus at home for his Sr. year. Math isn't a strong area for him, but he's doing OK because he works very hard at it. I'd hate to discourage him by risking a bad experience at cc. I think he'll probably do OK at his eventual college taking Calc I because of the introduction with Chalkdust and because he'll have gained more maturity by then.

 

We are working out what he'll take at the cc this coming fall. Right now, it's looking like Psychology and Chemistry. I feel like I've really been wearing my guidance counselor hat this week as ds and I try to sort out all his options and chose a course of action.

 

Brenda

[MaryM]

That there isn't any teacher support for the student if they run into trouble in an area. I'd be worried about that aspect if I were to use it for Calculus. We are thinking about CC, but there I'm worried about the faster pace of the course and the time it takes out of the week to go back and forth to the CC.

 

I'm not at all sure what we will do.

 

My biggest fear is that if he takes it at the CC and doesn't do well in it, we will blow his highschool transcript. I'm afraid it could hurt him in applying for admissions and scholarships....any thoughts on this side of the issue?

 

:eek:

 

You really need to have a book available along with Thinkwell and we use Larson and Life of Fred (just for fun). I haven't run into ANY snags with Calculus BUT did with College A&T. Their Calc program is much better "put together". We are doing Thinkwell Calc at home and may very well follow it up with a college course for senior year. Thinkwell is BOTH Cal 1 and Calc 2, btw. You could always zip through Calc 1 prior to the cc course, I think.

 

But, to the point of teacher support, a book along side the program would be good "for the teacher!"

 

Mary

[Myrtle]

My biggest fear is that if he takes it at the CC and doesn't do well in it, we will blow his highschool transcript. I'm afraid it could hurt him in applying for admissions and scholarships....any thoughts on this side of the issue?

 

:eek:

 

 

Will they let him audit the course instead of taking it for credit?

[Barb_]

You really need to have a book available along with Thinkwell and we use Larson and Life of Fred (just for fun). I haven't run into ANY snags with Calculus BUT did with College A&T. Their Calc program is much better "put together". We are doing Thinkwell Calc at home and may very well follow it up with a college course for senior year. Thinkwell is BOTH Cal 1 and Calc 2, btw. You could always zip through Calc 1 prior to the cc course, I think.

 

But, to the point of teacher support, a book along side the program would be good "for the teacher!"

 

Mary

 

I was going to suggest something similar. We used Thinkwell along with Thomas/Finney which is what a few guys on College Confidential recommended. Some really ambitious people on that site attempt to teach themselves upper level material outside of class when their highschools don't offer it. Thomas Finney was said to be great for self teaching and my daughter found it was so. It's easy to find it for a great price on the used market. Then, if your student doesn't feel he really got Calc, he can always take it again for credit at the community college or during his Freshman year.

 

Barb